


Decisions

by mshakarios



Series: Table For Three (Themmus Fics) [7]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 04:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mshakarios/pseuds/mshakarios
Summary: As Emmett lies unconscious in a hospital bed, his lovers have a discussion about their future together.Not canon-compliant for So Many Reasons, immediately post-ME3 but Thane's alive because I'm weak and gay, Thane/Em/Garrus with a focus on Thane/Garrus.





	Decisions

**Author's Note:**

> Here. Have some angst. Some Thane angst. Some Thangst. 
> 
> Enjoy the latest installment of "Hank completely ignores Thane's inescapable canon death and plays fast and loose with canon because he doesn't have to acknowledge the events of Mass Effect 3 if he refuses to actually play it himself." This sad frog man will be happy and alive at all costs.
> 
> Also, I feel the need to clarify that they're talking about a treatment, to slow the progression of Thane's Keprals, NOT a cure. "Thane is cured" AUs are very much not my thing. He can live with his illness and deal with its effects, because the only two options for characters like this are not "he dies" or "he is cured and can finally live happily." So...that's what they're talking about.
> 
> Really I just wanted to write some angsty Vakarios. Thane/Garrus is a ship that doesn't get enough love.

“The doctors aren’t sure if this treatment will even work. All of the experiments so far have involved cases where the illness had not progressed to the extent that mine has, and none of the researchers know if--”

“You have to try.” The other man’s gaze does not meet his own, remaining locked on the occupied hospital bed before the two of them, but there is a clear desperation in his blue eyes that matches the tense, fearful tone of his subvocals. 

“Garrus…you have to understand. There are risks.”

“There’s always risks. Isn’t this worth it? Even the _possibility_ that you could have more time? I don’t understand why this is a hard decision.”

“You’re not thinking clearly. This isn’t something I can afford to take lightly, or rush into. It’s a decision that will take time.”

“You don’t _have_ time!” Panicked frustration vibrates through Garrus’s voice as he finally turns to his lover. “You’re going to die. _Soon._ Unless you get this treatment.”

“We’ve all known for a very long time that I am going to die. It might be time to begin seriously considering--”

“Dammit, Thane, I won’t lose both of you!” 

Both men are silent for a long moment, and the only sound that fills the room is the soft, steady beeping of their lover’s heart rate monitor as he lies comatose in the bed beside them. Finally, Thane speaks up again, his expression calm and even.

“Garrus...remember what the doctors said. Emmett is stable. We aren’t going to lose him. I know that seeing him like this has been difficult for both of us, but he has survived the worst of it. He’s going to wake up soon.”

“And when he does, do you want me to have to explain why you’re not here? You want me to be there when he finds out that he didn’t even get to say goodbye?”

“Of course I don’t want that. You know I don’t. But it...it is out of my control.”

“No. It’s not. You can take control right now, give yourself a fighting chance, instead of just sitting around waiting to die. You could have more time, with Kolyat, with us...”

Thane sighs heavily. 

“You can’t make this decision for me.”

“No, I can’t. I know I can’t. But I...I can’t lose you.”

Garrus’s tone is soft and final, and his gaze drifts back to the broken human in the hospital bed. After another quiet moment, he is surprised to find a pair of strong, lean arms pulling him into a comforting embrace. He lets out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, and allows himself to relax into the cool hold around him. He leans into the smaller man’s touch and concentrates on the scaly, pebbled texture of the hand that rubs comforting circles into his own, feels the lithe, compact body pressing into him, breathes in deeply to remind himself of the clean, lightly sweet scent of drell skin. The minutes pass as they stay like this, wrapped up in each other, trying for just a moment to forget the fear and stress of the situation facing them. All of Emmett’s machinery continues to beep steadily in the quiet room, and that in itself is a comfort. When Garrus finally speaks again, his voice is softer, calmer. 

“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Remember when we were just sharing Em?” His tone grows slightly playful near the end; the concept of the two of them “sharing” Emmett has been an inside joke since the beginning. “And now look at us.”

“I’m glad it turned out this way. No matter how little time we have left.”

“Yeah. I’m...I’m glad we could at least have this.” The words ache in his chest, bringing back all the worries he had managed to shove aside for just a few calm moments, but he chokes the fear back down as best he can. 

“I love you.” The words are murmured quietly against his plates, just barely loud enough to be heard. 

“Love you, too.” Garrus leans down to nuzzle his companion gently, resting his mouthplates against the darker spot of green on Thane’s forehead where Emmett always loved to press kisses. 

“And I...I _am_ considering it. The treatment. I do want more time, no matter how short. But it is a decision I need to make for myself.”

“I...yeah. I understand.” He swallows his panic once more, trying to respect his lover’s wishes. “Take as much time as you need.”


End file.
